BARAGA COUNTY, Mich. (WZMQ) – UPDATE 10-24-24, 1:00 p.m.: The U.S Forest Service reports no new growth of the Summit Lake Fire from Wednesday into Thursday.
The fire received approximately 0.4″ of rain Wednesday, which substantially moderated the fire growth, along with cloud cover and cool temperatures.
According to the latest incident report, the fire has been stalled to the north and east by wetlands and lakes, allowing fire crews to prioritize the southwest portion of the fire in the vicinity of privately-owned land. Crews will work to construct and reinforce firelines along that area extending from Summit Lake to the “heel” of the fire southward.
Within the perimeter, the pattern of burning is frequently patchy, the incident report says, with areas of consumed leaf litter and pockets of smoldering dead and down heavy wood debris.
UPDATE 10-23-24 3:15 p.m.: New photos provided by the U.S. Forest Service show the firefighting tactics being used to contain the fire.
UPDATE 10-23-24, 11:46 a.m.: As of about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Summit Lake Fire has grown to 225 acres.
The incident report shows the perimeter is still 0% contained, and firefighters continue work on active portions of the fire to gain containment. The U.S. Forest Service says the most active portions of the fire are burning at a low-intensity through dead and down ground debris underneath the forest canopy.
“The most active portions are along the southwest flanks of the fire and the southeast near Evergreen Lake. Fire activity has mostly been terrain and wind driven. The rest of the perimeter is creeping and smoldering with interior pockets of heavy ground fuels being consumed,” according to the incident report.
==========
UPDATE 10-22-24: The Summit Lake Fire burning in the McCormick Wilderness Area in remote Baraga County has grown to 165 acres Tuesday.
The U.S. Forest Service says most of the growth was on the southwest portion of the fire toward the wilderness boundary and around Evergreen Lake, which is where the most active fire was reported Monday.
“Crews and water dropping airtankers (Fire Bosses) were able to stop progression before the fire crossed the wilderness boundary,” according to an updated incident report. “Smoke will be visible in the localized area and then drifting to the northeast. At this time, there are no closures or threatened structures.”
The most recent update from the U.S. Forest Service says fire crews are assessing natural holding points for halting fire progression and developing strategies to minimize the impact of suppression tactics. The agency says crews have been able to slow the spread in areas with broadleaf cover.
Aircraft continue to monitor the fire and assist ground crews.
Original story Oct. 21, 2024:
A fire burning in a remote area of Baraga County continues Monday as crews work to extinguish the flames and determine a cause.
The U.S. Forest Service says the Summit Lake Fire in the McCormick Wilderness area, about 12.5 miles north of Michigamme, was discovered by aircraft on the evening of Friday, Oct. 18.
The wildfire, approximately 120 acres in size as of Oct. 21, lies in the northwest corner of the McCormick Wilderness between Summit Lake and Evergreen Lake. The agency says the most active part of the fire is near Evergreen Lake where it’s burning heavy dead and down woody debris, with the rest of the perimeter creeping and smoldering.
The Forest Service says the area received light rain over the weekend which dried quickly with warm, dry winds. Fire crews have been able to actively slow the spread of fire. The agency says aircraft will be monitoring the fire and assisting ground crews as needed.
At this time, there are no closures or threatened structures. The U.S. Forest Service asks residents to not fly drones or other unmanned aircraft in the area. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
